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About

A central idea to 'Symphony in Five Movements' concerns aspects of timing. Its form was partially inspired by the martial arts treatise 'Go Rin No Sho' (A Book of Five Rings), which considers timing and its relationship to strategy. The five books are: Ground, Water, Fire, Wind & Void. There is a loose correspondence between the inspiration behind some of the movements and each of the 'books.' Thus, the third movement refers to the book of tradition 'wind' and consequently, is modelled on a scherzo, not only paying tribute to Beethoven, but in a broader sense indicating the desire to give the entire work a historical reference. The Introduction or first movement is analogous to the 'ground' book (the path), outlining the Symphony's musical ideas. The fifth movement ('void') has a strongly rhythmic structure with contemporary influence throughout, reflected in, and overlayed with its violin-based lyrical stream. This strongly linear work was described by Denys Trussell in a subsequent review for 'Quote Unquote' after its Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra performance in 1996 as being "rich with feeling and atmosphere." The fourth and fifith movements were given a reading by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hamish McKeich at the NZSO - SOUNZ Readings in October 2001 in Wellington.

Commissioned note

Commissioned by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
as part of its Composer-in-Residence programme